HoganWillig Blog

Legal Limelight (#1)

March 31, 2017

Legal Limelight, a weekly feature, includes a Q&A with one of our attorneys or valued employees. Keep reading to learn all about this week's guest, Thomas Hughes, an Associate Attorney with HoganWillig.

Legal Limelight will feature a new HoganWillig attorney weekly. This week, our first feature, includes a Q&A discussion with Thomas Hughes.

Q: What is your area of practice?

A: In the Corporate Department and I also work a lot in Collections, Regulatory Defense and also some Commercial Litigation

Q:How many years have you been with HoganWillig?

A: Almost two years to the day

Q:How many years have you been practicing law?

A: About 3.5 years. I graduated from Law School in 2013

Q:Why did you choose to work at HoganWillig?

A: I had heard very good things about the firm and one of my very close friends actually worked for Mr. Hogan at his fiberglass company, Virtual Polymer Compounds. Once the opportunity here presented itself, it was an easy decision to make the jump

Q:Why did you become a lawyer?

A: Well, I thought they didn’t work very hard, golfed a lot and made a lot of money, I was sadly mistaken. No, honestly, when I got out of the Air Force I came back home and went to U.B. with a friend of mine who had been in the Navy. I was originally an Accounting Major and I knew there was a great job market. After a year of accounting, though, I realized I could not do that as a career. So, I switched to International Business which I thought kind of vibed a little bit more with my experience in the military, my language skills and experience. As I got near the end of my undergrad I started to explore graduate opportunities. I took the LSATs and faired pretty well so I decided to pursue law school. I thought that it was a logical next step to find a career worth pursuing.

Q:Do you have any awards thus far in your career?

A: Not yet a Super Lawyer, although I aspire to be, maybe one day

Q:What is one thing you wish your clients knew about you?

A: I’m really, really busy (laughs). If I don’t get back to you today, I’ll get back to you tomorrow.

Q:Why Buffalo?

A: First and foremost, it’s home. I went to law school down in New York City. My fiancé at the time, now my wife, didn’t want to stay down there. After three years, I was okay with coming home. I thought there were a lot of cool things going on in Buffalo. I’ve always liked Buffalo; I think it’s a great place and a place that’s getting better. I had no qualms about moving back.

Q:What is your favorite “Buffalo food”?

A: Beef on Weck, but there are phenomenal Mexican restaurants in Buffalo, too.

Q:What is your favorite brewery in Buffalo?

A: This is a much tougher question, I may have been to one or two. As far as ambiance is concerned, Resurgence is about the coolest. I also know the people who own Thin Man and I think that’s a very cool spot as well. I like the openness of Resurgence, but as far as beer is concerned, I’ve always been partial to Community Beer Works.

Q:Duffs or Anchor Bar?

A: Duffs, but they have to be extra crispy.

Q:What is your favorite sports team?

A: I don’t know if I should tell you the truth, I’ve been an Oakland Raiders Fan, soon to be Las Vegas Raiders fan since I was very, very young, but I wholeheartedly support the Bills as long as they are not playing the Raiders.

HoganWillig would like to thank Thomas for his service in the Air Force and his continued dedication to HoganWillig.